University Recreation Outdoors recently offered a new event for the UA community called the Vertical Mile Challenge. The Vertical Mile Challenge is now an annual event encouraging participants to attempt climbing a mile during a full month. A total of 62 climbers' participated and 8,585 laps were recorded. That is equivalent to climbing over nine Mount Everest ascents.

"The reason we created the Vertical Mile Challenge event was to challenge regular climbers and encourage those people who are new to climbing to participate in a fun activity that is also an alternative form of physical exercise," said Alec DeHaven, UREC Outdoors student employee.

"The event was engaging and allowed us to forge deeper relationships by interacting with participants the entire month as they worked on completing their mile."      

The top climber for the challenge was Hemlin Swaran Rag who completed a total of 825 laps, which is an average of at least 40 laps per day for the entire month.

Shelli Graham was the top female climber with 350 laps, which is equivalent to completing two vertical mile climbs. The first three climbers to complete the challenge were Grady Fitzgerald, Meghan Perry, and Hemlin Swaran Rag. They received free apparel from the co-sponsor for the event, Fayettechill Clothing Company.

"We are looking forward to hosting another competition to challenge climbers and spread the word about our new top-roping wall the following year," said Sarah Rasmussen, UREC Outdoors student employee.

For more information, please contact Michael Hoover at mdhoover@uark.edu.